Feeder Assembly for Raw Dough Blanks, Especially Dough Strands Pre-formed for Making Pretzels, and Method of Feeding such Blanks

ABSTRACT

Feeder assembly for raw dough blanks ( 3, 3 ′), especially for dough blanks for pretzel production, which comprises a first conveyor belt ( 1 ) and at least one second conveyor belt ( 2 ) which are arranged sequentially one after the other, said raw dough blanks ( 3 ) being disposed on the first conveyor belt ( 1 ) at the beginning of the feeding process and being transferred from first conveyor belt ( 1 ) to second conveyor belt ( 2 ), with the speed of the at least one second conveyor belt ( 2 ) higher by a given amount that the speed of the first conveyor belt, whereby the raw dough blanks ( 3 ) are stretched and aligned in parallel with the direction of movement of second conveyor belt ( 2 ) when transferred from first conveyor belt ( 1 ) to second conveyor belt ( 2 ).

The present invention relates to a feeder assembly for bake-off or rawdough blanks, and especially to a feeder device for raw dough strandspre-formed for pretzel production, as defined in the pre-characterizingportion of patent claim 1. The invention also relates to a method offeeding raw dough blanks to apparatus for processing same.

Feeder devices for linear raw dough blanks—such as raw dough strandspre-formed for pretzel production—have been known from prior art.Apparatus of this kind usually precedes a device for processing the rawdough blanks, such as a pretzel looping device.

Before the raw dough blanks can be and are processed by means of thedevice intended therefor, it usually is necessary, however, to stretch,measure or size, and align them. Further, means are frequently needed tosort out under-size or over-size blanks as processing devices usuallyrequire blank size to be within pre-determined limits.

Due to this necessity of stretching, measuring or sizing, and aligningthe raw dough blanks, it has been known from prior art to providebetween the feeding device and processing apparatus additional equipmentcapable of performing such stretching, measuring and aligning. Theadditional equipment, which increases the manufacturing and installationcost for the system as a whole, and the considerable delay caused by theadditional steps in the production of the raw dough blanks between suchfeeding and the processing, constitute a distinct drawback.

On this basis, the object underlying the present invention is theprovision of feeder means for raw dough blanks, especially raw doughstrands pre-formed for pretzel production, the use of which greatlysimplifies and accelerates the production to be based on such bake-offitems.

In particular, it is desired to stretch, size and align the raw doughblanks as they are conveyed. Further, the inventive feeder apparatus isdesigned to enable under-sized or over-sized raw dough blanks to besorted out before they can be passed on to processing apparatus.

The invention is intended also to propose a method of feeding raw doughblanks to equipment for processing them, with the execution of saidmethod enabling the raw dough blanks to be stretched, sized and alignedas they are conveyed and fed to such equipment.

This object is attained for feeder means by the features recited inpatent claim 1. Patent claim 10 teaches a method of feeding raw doughblanks to apparatus for processing them. The respective dependent claimsdisclose additional inventive developments and advantages.

Accordingly, the invention proposes feeder apparatus for raw doughblanks, especially raw dough strands pre-formed for pretzel production,which comprises a first conveyor belt and at least one second conveyorbelt, said conveyor belts arranged sequentially one behind the other,with the dough blanks disposed on the first conveyor belt as the feedingprocess begins and being transferred from the first conveyor belt to theat least one second conveyor belt.

In accordance with the invention, provisions are made for the speed ofthe at least one second conveyor belt being higher by a given amountthan the speed of the first conveyor belt. This ensures advantageouslythat the dough blanks during the transfer thereof from the first to thesecond conveyor belt are stretched and aligned in parallel with thedirection of movement of said second conveyor belt, as each dough blankis pulled ahead by the second and faster conveyor belt, resulting in thedough blanks being stretched and aligned as they are transferred.

At the beginning of the feeding process, the dough blanks may bearranged in parallel with the direction of movement of the firstconveyor belt. Alternatively, the dough blanks may be arranged in adirection substantially non-parallel with the movement of the firstconveyor belt and may instead move at an angle to the longitudinal axisof the first conveyor belt, and/or they may be shaped to be non-linear.

Within the framework of an advantageous further development of theinvention, the adhesive friction coefficient of the at least one secondconveyor belt may be selected to be higher than the first conveyorbelt's so that “idling” of the second conveyor belt may be avoidedespecially in the case of higher-weight dough blanks.

Further, and in accordance with a further development of the invention,the inventive transfer device includes a sensor which detects the endturned away from the first conveyor of a raw dough blank transported byand arriving on the second conveyor and is damped by it, with the sensormaintaining its damped response until the raw dough blank is not withinthe sensor's detection range any longer. If a plurality of secondconveyors is provided, each such second conveyor has a sensor associatedwith it.

In accordance with the invention, the length of the stretched raw doughblank aligned in parallel with the conveying direction of the secondconveyor belt is determined in a controller which is coupled with thesensor and evaluates the period of time for which the sensor is damped,as well as the conveying speed of the second conveyor belt. In case thelength so determined of the raw dough blank is greater or smaller than atarget length plus/minus a prescribed length offset, the second conveyorbelt is controlled to make the blank reach the end of the secondconveyor belt where continued circulation thereof causes the blank to betransferred to a container or to another conveyor, resulting in it beingsorted out.

If the length so determined of the raw dough blank corresponds to thetarget length plus/minus a prescribed length offset, the inventionprovides for the raw dough blank to be transported until it assumes acentered position relative to, or on, the longitudinal axis of anotherconveyor or of a transfer chute to be passed on to means for processingthe raw dough blank. Preferably, such other conveyor or transfer chuteis disposed at right angles to second conveyor belt 2. Also, the lengthoffset may assume a value of zero.

Once the raw dough blank has reached this position the first and secondconveyor belts are stopped and the raw dough blank is transferred bysuitable means from the second conveyor belt to the other conveyor orthe transfer chute. Following such transfer of the raw dough blank, theconveyor belts are re-activated to move.

The means for transferring the raw dough blank to the other conveyor orto the transfer chute may have the form of a pusher device adapted to bedriven mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically.

Alternatively, transfer to the transfer chute or to the other conveyorof a raw dough blank disposed centrally relative to the longitudinalaxis thereof may be effected by the second conveyor belt having the formof a “V-belt” comprising a pair of belt runs disposed for transportingthe raw dough blanks in a parallel and contiguous relationship anddriven with the same speed, said two conveyor belts having a firstposition in which their top runs span a common plane for transportingsaid raw dough blanks, and a second position rotated about an axisparallel with the longitudinal axis, or about the longitudinal axisthereof, in which the top runs of the conveyor belts assume a givenangle relative to each other so that the raw dough blanks may betransferred by gravity to the underlying transfer chute or to theunderlying other conveyor. After a transfer so effected of the raw doughblanks, both conveyor belts re-assume the first position in which theyare parallel and contiguous with each other.

The inventive concept results in a transfer arrangement whichoperationally enables the raw dough blanks to be stretched, sized and—ifdesired—to be sorted out in transfer. In this context, it is noted thatit is not possible to sort out dough blanks in the stretching andaligning devices known from prior art.

In accordance with the invention, the first and the at least one secondconveyor belt may have the same longitudinal axis or longitudinal axesparallel with each other, or the conveyor belts may be disposed in anydesired angular relationship. It is possible furthermore that the firstand the at least one second conveyor belts are driven by a single driveunit, with different conveyor speeds obtained in this case by reducingor increasing the drive unit's output speed by means of suitablydimensioned gears, for example. Alternatively, the conveyor belts mayeach have a separate drive unit associated therewith.

Within the scope of an advantageous further development of theinvention, and for feeding a plurality of devices for processing the rawdough blanks, the first conveyor belt may be followed a plurality ofsecond conveyor belts each associated with a separate device forprocessing raw dough blanks. In this case, the width of the firstconveyor belt is chosen so that the raw dough blanks may be transferredsimultaneously to the plurality of second conveyor belts; such secondconveyor belts may each be disposed at any given angle relative to thefirst conveyor belt.

The invention will now be explained in greater detail under reference tothe attached figures.

FIG. 1: A perspective view of an assembly, configured in accordance witha first embodiment of the invention and including a second conveyorbelt, for feeding straight raw dough blanks especially preformed forpretzel production;

FIG. 2: A schematic section of a V-belt in accordance with the inventionfor illustrating their relative positions of the conveyor belts in thesecond position for blank transfer.

In accordance with the invention and relative to FIG. 1, an inventivelyconfigured feed assembly for raw dough blanks, and particularly forlengths of dough strand pre-formed for pretzel production, comprises afirst conveyor belt 1 and a second conveyor belt 2 disposed sequentiallyone behind the other. At the beginning of the feed process, the rawdough blanks 3 are in this example disposed substantially in parallelwith the direction of movement of first conveyor belt 1 and aretransferred from first conveyor belt 1 to second conveyor belt 2.

In accordance with the invention, the speed of second conveyor belt 2 issupposed to be higher by a given amount than the speed of first conveyorbelt 1, ensuring that, upon transfer from the first to the secondconveyor belt, the raw dough blanks 3 are stretched and aligned inparallel with the direction of movement of second conveyor belt 2. Tothis end, the raw dough blank 3 being transferred is pulled ahead by thefaster second conveyor belt 2, causing the blank to be stretched andaligned when so transferred.

Further, the illustrated inventive transfer assembly comprises a sensor4 which detects the end turned away from first conveyor belt 1 of theraw dough blank 3 arriving on second conveyor belt and is damped by thatend, with sensor 4 maintaining its damped response until the raw doughblank 3 is not within the detection range of sensor 4 any longer due tothe movement of second conveyor belt 2.

From the damped response of the sensor and the speed of movement ofsecond conveyor belt 2, a controller determines the length of the rawdough blank 3 stretched and aligned in parallel with the direction ofmovement of second conveyor belt 2, with the controller operating to socontrol second conveyor belt 2 that, if the length of raw dough blank 3so determined is greater or smaller than some target length plus/minus agiven length offset, the said raw dough blank reaches the end of secondconveyor belt 2 where further circulation of conveyor belt 2 causes itto be transferred to a container or to another conveyor belt and, thus,to be sorted out.

If the length so determined of raw dough blank 3 corresponds to thetarget length plus/minus a given length offset, second conveyor belt 2continues to transport raw dough blank 3 until it assumes a centeredposition on the longitudinal axis of another conveyor or of a transferchute for raw dough blanks 3, 3′ to be passed on thereby to processingmeans.

Preferably, the other conveyor or the transfer chute is disposed to beperpendicular to second conveyor belt 2. In FIG. 1, reference character3′ designates a raw dough blank in a centered position on thelongitudinal axis of another conveyor or of a transfer chute (not shown)to be passed on thereby to dough blank processing means.

When raw dough blank 3′ has reached the said centered position, thefirst and second conveyor belts 1, 2 are stopped and raw dough blank 3′is transferred from second conveyor belt 2 to said other conveyor or tothe transfer chute by means suited for transferring raw dough blankscentered with respect to the longitudinal axis of the other conveyorbelt or transfer chute, respectively.

Following the transfer of raw dough blank 3′, conveyor belts 1, 2 arere-activated to move. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the device fortransferring raw dough blank 3′-located centrally with respect to thelongitudinal axis of another conveyor belt or a transfer chute—to doughblank processing means is designed to form a pusher device 5 adapted tobe driven mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically.

As explained above, an alternative to pusher device 5 for transferringthe raw dough blank 3′ then located centrally with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the other conveyor belt or the transfer chute is todesign second conveyor belt 2 as a “V-belt” comprising a pair of belts6, 7 disposed to be parallel and contiguous and moved at the same speedfor transporting the raw dough blanks 3, said belts 6, 7 adapted to berotated about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, or about thelongitudinal axis thereof, from a first position in which the top runsof belts 6, 7 span a common plane to a second position in which the topruns of belts 6, 7 assume given angular positions relative to each otherso that raw dough blank 3 may be transferred by gravity to theunderlying transfer chute or to the underlying other conveyor.

This second position of belts 6, 7 is shown in FIG. 2. Following thetransfer of raw dough blanks 3, both belts re-assume their firstpositions, in which they are parallel and contiguous with each other.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, a drive unit 8—preferably in the form ofan electric motor—is provided for driving first and second conveyorbelts 1, 2, with the different speeds of the conveyor belts obtainedfrom the drive unit output speed by gears dimensioned to provide thedesired transmission ratios.

As is evident from the above description of the invention, there is alsoprovided a method of feeding raw dough blanks 3, 3′ to apparatus forprocessing same, with the raw dough blanks 3 initially disposed on afirst conveyor belt 1 and transferred from first conveyor belt 1 to asecond conveyor belt 2, and with the speed of second conveyor belt 2adjusted to be higher by a given amount than the speed of first conveyorbelt 1, whereby the raw dough blanks 3 are stretched and aligned to beparallel with the direction of movement of second conveyor belt 2 asthey are transferred from the first conveyor belt 1 to the at least onesecond conveyor belt 2.

Within the scope of the inventive method, provisions may be included tohave sensor 4 detect the end turned away from conveyor belt 1 of anarriving raw dough blank 2 transported by second conveyor belt 2, withsensor 4 being damped thereby and maintaining its damped response untilraw dough blank 3 is not within the detection range of sensor 4 anylonger due to the movement of second conveyor belt 2, with the length ofthe raw dough blank 3 stretched and aligned to be parallel with thedirection of movement of second conveyor belt 2 being determined in acontroller from the damping period of sensor 4 and the speed of movementof second conveyor belt 2, and, if the length so determined of raw doughblank 3 is greater or smaller than a target length, the controlleroperating to so control second conveyor belt 2 that said raw dough blankreaches the end of second conveyor belt 2 where it is transferred to acontainer or to another conveyor by continued circulation of conveyorbelt 2, resulting in the raw dough blank being sorted out. If the lengthso determined of raw dough blank 3 corresponds to the target lengthplus/minus a given length offset, second conveyor belt 2 continues totransport raw dough blank 3 until it assumes a centered position on thelongitudinal axis of another conveyor, or of a transfer chute, forcontinued transport of raw dough blanks 3, 3′ to said dough blankprocessing means.

1. A feeder assembly for raw dough blanks (3, 3′), especially forlengths of dough strand pre-formed for the production of pretzels,characterized in that a first conveyor belt (1) and at least one secondconveyor belt (2) are arranged sequentially one after the other, withthe raw dough blanks (3) disposed on first conveyor belt (1) at thebeginning of the feeding process and being transferred from said firstconveyor (1) to second conveyor belt (2), and with the speed of the atleast one second conveyor belt (2) higher by a given amount than thespeed of the first conveyor belt (1), whereby raw dough blanks (3), whenbeing transferred from first conveyor belt (1) to second conveyor belt(2), are stretched and aligned to be parallel with the direction ofmovement of second conveyor belt (2).
 2. Feeder assembly for raw doughblanks (3, 3′), especially for length of dough strand pre-formed forpretzel production, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that theadhesive friction coefficient of the at least one second conveyor belt(2) is higher than the adhesive friction coefficient of first conveyorbelt (1).
 3. Feeder assembly for raw dough blanks (3, 3′), especiallyfor lengths of dough strand pre-formed for pretzel production, asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that a sensor (4) is provided whichdetects the end turned away from first conveyor belt (1) of a raw doughblank transported by and arriving on second conveyor belt (2) and whichis damped by said end, with said sensor maintaining its damped responseuntil the raw dough blank is not within the sensor's range of detectionany longer, and in that a control unit is operable to determine thelength of the stretched raw dough blank (3) aligned in parallel with thedirection of movement of second conveyor belt (2) on the basis of thedamping time of sensor (4) and the speed of movement of second conveyorbelt (2).
 4. Feeder assembly for raw dough blanks (3, 3′), especiallyfor lengths of dough strand pre-formed for pretzel production, asclaimed in claim 3, characterized in that, if the length of raw doughblank (3) so determined is greater or smaller than a target lengthplus/minus a given length offset, second conveyor belt (2) iscontrollable in a manner such that raw dough blank (3, 3′) reaches theend of second conveyor belt (2) where it is transferred to a containeror to another conveyor by the continued circulation of conveyor belt(2), resulting in raw dough blank (3, 3′) to be sorted out. and, if thelength of the raw dough blank (3′) so determined corresponds to thetarget length plus/minus a given length offset, second conveyor belt (2)is controllable in such a manner that second conveyor belt (2)transports raw dough blank (3)') until it assumes a centered positionrelative to the longitudinal axis of another conveyor, or of a transferchute, for passage of raw dough blank (3, 3′) to the dough blankprocessing means.
 5. Feeder assembly for raw dough blanks (3, 3′),especially for lengths of dough strand pre-formed for pretzelproduction, as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that it comprisesmeans for transferring the raw dough blanks (3, 3′) disposed centrallyrelative to the longitudinal axis of the transfer chute or of the otherconveyor.
 6. Feeder assembly for raw dough blanks (3, 3′), especiallyfor lengths of dough strand preformed for pretzel production, as claimedin claim 5, characterized in that the means for transferring the rawdough blanks (3, 3′) disposed centrally relative to the longitudinalaxis of the transfer chute or of the other conveyor comprises a pusherdevice adapted to be driven mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulicallyof electrically.
 7. Feeder assembly for raw dough blanks (3, 3′),especially for lengths of dough strand pre-formed for pretzelproduction, as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, fortransferring the raw dough blanks (3, 3′) disposed centrally relative tothe longitudinal axis of the transfer chute or of the other conveyor,second conveyor belt (2) is designed to form a “V-belt” comprising apair of belts (6, 7) disposed to be parallel and contiguous and drivenwith the same speed, with belts (6, 7) adapted to be rotated about anaxis parallel with the longitudinal axis or with the longitudinal axisthereof from a first position for transporting raw dough blanks (3, 3′)in which the top runs of both belts (6, 7) span a common plane to asecond position in which the top runs of belts (6, 7) assume a givenangle relative to each other so that raw dough blank (3, 3′) may betransferred by gravitation to the underlying transfer chute or theunderlying other conveyor.
 8. Feeder assembly for raw dough blanks (3,3′), especially for lengths of dough strand pre-formed for pretzelproduction, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, for serving aplurality of devices for processing raw dough blanks, first conveyorbelt (1) is followed by a plurality of second conveyor belts (2) eachassociated with a raw dough blank processing device, with the width offirst conveyor belt (1) being selected to enable the raw dough blanks tobe transferred simultaneously to said second conveyor belts (2). 9.Feeder assembly for raw dough blanks (3, 3′), especially for lengths ofdough strand pre-formed for pretzel production, as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that said first and the at least one second conveyorbelts (1, 2) have the same longitudinal axis, or longitudinal axesdisposed in parallel with each other, or are arranged to extend at anyangle relative to each other.
 10. A process of feeding raw dough blanks(3, 3′) to means for processing them, characterized in that, at thebeginning of the feeding process, the raw dough blanks (3) are disposedon a first conveyor belt (1) and are transferred from first conveyorbelt (1) to a second conveyor belt (2), with the speed of secondconveyor belt (2) higher by a given amount than that of the firstconveyor belt (1), resulting in the raw dough blanks (3) being stretchedand aligned to be parallel with the direction of movement of secondconveyor belt (2) when being transferred from first conveyor belt (1) tosecond conveyor belt (2).
 11. Process of feeding raw dough blanks (3,3′) to means for processing them as in claim 10, characterized in thatthe end turned away from first conveyor belt (1) of a raw dough blank(3) transported by and arriving on conveyor belt (2) is detected by asensor (4), with sensor (4) being damped by said end and maintaining itsdamped response until raw dough blank (3) is not within the detectionrange of sensor (4) any longer due to the movement of second conveyorbelt (2), and in that the length of the stretched raw dough blank (3)aligned in the direction of movement of second conveyor belt (2) isdetermined in a controller on the basis of the damping time of sensor(4) and the speed of movement of second conveyor belt (2), wherein, ifthe length determined of raw dough blank (3) is greater or smaller thana given target length plus/minus a given length offset, the secondconveyor belt (2) is controlled so that said raw dough blank reaches theend of second conveyor belt (2) where it is transferred to a containeror another conveyor by continued circulation of conveyor belt (2),resulting in the raw dough blank to be sorted out, and wherein, if thelength determined of raw dough blank (3) corresponds to the targetlength plus/minus a given length offset, raw dough blank (3) istransported on by conveyor belt (2) until it assumes a centered positionon the longitudinal axis of another conveyor, or of a transfer chute,for passage of raw dough blanks (3, 3′) to the dough blank processingmeans.